Police -$6,393,089 Fire -$4,728,486 DPW -$4,438,861
Those who are supportive of Syracuse Police and Fire Departments need only look to our representation in Washington DC. Their failure to come to a deal that supports state and local governments has placed states, counties, cities, and towns in grave danger of losing much needed services. Those services that consume large portions of municipal budgets are Police, Fire and Public Works, therefore they receive the brunt of any cuts based on their sheer size.
The Department of Public Works will face a $ -4,438,861 reduction. When you add Syracuse Police $ -6,393,089 and Syracuse Fire $ -4,728,486 that’s a whopping $15,560,436 decrease in essential services. Don’t forget our Parks, another $ -1,283,607.
Cuts in D.P.W. includes reducing overtime, be forewarned during our snow events which are unpredictable, that’s where the overtime has kicked in.
All totaled 4 city departments absorbing $16,844,043 of $18,116,227 in budget cuts, impacting 563 positions by imposing hiring freezes on 150 positions and 413 Furloughs. Late reports have Mayor Ben Walsh also participating in a wage furlough.
Under the leadership of President Trump, the Senate has refused to include funding to support states and localities lost revenue due to COVID-19. These lost funds sustain local services, many localities like Syracuse had seen the beginning of growth, prior to the pandemic a 1-million-dollar surplus had been forecast. Due to good local stewardship, our structural budgetary issues were turning around, and then COVID-19 struck.
Tweety Birds
Local delegations that include Republicans like John Katko are now supporting modifications that would send some funding to needed areas. However, we have yet to hear full-throated sounds of decent from Republicans who are in support of this President, while their localities face cutting their budgets into bone marrow.
Not unlike cartoons, Tweety bird in a gilded cage, President Trump has reduced the Republican Senate into chirping observers, “I tawt I taw a puddy tat!” after cuts are in place, being useful they chime in, “I did! I did taw a puddy tat!”. In a rush to appear helpful at the end, they always are in favor of extending SNAP benefits. Men, women and children can’t survive on SNAP alone.
Promoting Draconian Images of Police hamstrung by changes, unable to respond
Republicans have run commercials designed to frighten, about defunding the police and how any reduction in police funding would result in residents being placed on hold. That could become a reality, and they can’t blame Democrats.
Where are cities going to cut? Where is there any budgetary room to avoid massive disruptions in services due to the financial strains COVID -19 has placed on our entire society? There is none.
Those Republicans who don’t understand the concept of changing how we “Police” and don’t want to “Defund the Police” have inadvertently caused the Syracuse Police to be defunded.
